A company installed a specialist CCTV system to catch a suspected thief after their accountant noticed their business was not performing as well as it should be.Castle Interiors, a painting and decorating supply company in Co Donegal had noticed their books were not tallying over a period of time. They installed a new surveillance camera system and observed one employee who was caught red-handed dipping in and out of the till.Alan Moore appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court in Co Donegal today for sentence after previously being found guilty of ten counts of theft at the shop at the Courtyard Shopping Centre in Letterkenny.A jury of twelve found him guilty on all charges by a majority verdict of ten to two.The court heard how the owner of the shop, Rossa McCosker, had been informed by his accountant that there had been an unexplained shrinkage in stock.The accountant also said the shop was not performing as it should be.Employee Alan Moore, aged 54, had been reprimanded on a number of occasions for leaving the till open.An older surveillance system which had to be played back by staff was then replaced but Moore had not been told of this.When the new ‘live’ surveillance system was put in place, a member of staff in the company’s Ballyshannon office monitored the activity in the shop.Between 22nd November, 2013 and December 2nd, 2013, the employee made a contemporaneous note of everything that happened in the shop while watching the live CCTV stream.She had noted when to ring in some items into the till put money in or took money out.The jury was shown footage of ten specific incidents when More took cash out of the till and put it into his pockets.The court was told that a total of €794 had not been rung into the till and that €780 in cash had been taken from the till.Because the items were not being rung into the till there was no excess of cash in the till to be lodged at the bank.When approached about the incidents Moore became very angry and later claimed that Mr McCosker had wanted to close the shop and did not want to pay out redundancy money.She was strongly denied and the court was reminded that the Government paid 60% of redundancy payouts in any case.Detective Garda Paul Lynch gave evidence of interviewing Moore after he was arrested.He admitted that he had operated a haphazard system for operating the till for a number of years but this had been tolerated by management.In his victim impact statement, owner Mr McCosker said he operated a number of businesses and after this, he had found it difficult to trust employees.“I am less able to trust individuals and am watchful and needy and I feel more vulnerable to fraud,” he said.The court was told that Moore was now a 56-year-old married man with two sons and had no issues with drugs, drink or gambling.Judge John Aylmer adjourned the case to decide on a sentence which he said he will pass on May 8th next.Company caught thief after installing new CCTV system at Donegal business was last modified: May 2nd, 2019 by StephenShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Tags:Alan MooreCastle INteriorsCourtyard Shopping Centredonegalfraudtheftread more

Share Facebook Twitter Google + LinkedIn Pinterest By Matt Reese and Kolt BuchenrothHeading into the 2019 National FFA Convention, the organization announced a record-high student membership of 700,170 and, in the next year, Kolesen McCoy will be representing each of those members as only the third National FFA President from Ohio.“It has been a mix of emotions and a roller coaster of a ride for sure. It is a very humbling experience. As soon as a heard my name called, I was shocked and overwhelmed with the excitement I had to go on this journey for the next 365 days with five amazing people at my side to be able to serve the 700,000 members across the country,” said McCoy from the Global Impact Stem Academy in Clark County. “And I can say that when I look at the five people around me there is a consistent message. They are not here for themselves, if that makes sense. That is very clear. They are very grounded in their faith and they are incredibly motivated to serve those around them.”The other National FFA presidents from Ohio were Bobby Jones in in 1933-1934 and Mark Sanborn in 1978-1979. McCoy is looking forward to building upon that heritage.“The role of a national officer varies from year-to-year and person-to-person. What makes this organization this organization is the people,” McCoy said. “I hope to be able to walk out of this year content with the impact I’ve had and that my five teammates can say that too.”McCoy did not grow up on a farm, but has grown to love the agricultural industry through his involvement in FFA locally, then as the Ohio FFA president and now at the national level.“I didn’t grow up in production agriculture, but I can genuinely say the reasons I pursued this industry are the people who believed in it in the beginning and they saw the potential in me. I have seen how much agriculture is involved with everything we do. Thanks to the people who are involved in this industry. It is very easy to fall in love with the people of agriculture. I want to thank all of them and I look forward to being an authentic advocate for all of them,” McCoy said. “I believe in agriculture and agricultural education students in all parts of the world who believe in what we do. I hope to be able to leave an impact on those students, be a voice for our students on the National Board and Foundation Board of Trustees and ultimately thank the people who help make all this happen — our sponsors and donors. I am who I am today because of the people who encouraged me on that journey. The people around me have invested so much in me and I look forward to investing that into the people around me as I go and serve during this year. It is going to be a great year.”Ohio’s rich heritage of excellence at the national level of the FFA continued well beyond the national officer team with extensive Ohio representation at the 2019 Convention. Ohio had an incredibly impressive 27 proficiency finalists and six national proficiency winners.Andy Holscher of the Upper Valley Career Center FFA Chapter won in the area of Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance — Placement. Holscher works at his family’s business, servicing and repairing lawnmowers and yard equipment. He started helping around the shop by doing simple jobs, like testing equipment for quality. Now he works on a large John Deere riding lawnmower, using a small leaf blower, assisting customers or anything in between. Holscher is supported by his parents, Teresa and Marvin, and his FFA advisors, Michelle Brunson, Daniel Schmiesing, Deborah Stanfield, James Metz, Michaella Quinter and John Kreitze.Rachel Sherman of the Big Walnut-DACC FFA Chapter won in the area of Dairy Production — Entrepreneurship. Sherman began her herd with a gift of one heifer from her parents. That one heifer grew to nine lactating cows and four heifers. She has grown her herd to be representative of all six main breeds of dairy cattle and has focused on strengthening her enterprise through the use of good management practices and continued use of genetic selection. Sherman is supported by her parents, Rose and Ken, and her FFA advisor, Jeffrey Stimmell.Joanna Frankenberg of the New Bremen FFA Chapter won in the area of Dairy Production — Placement. Frankenberg works on her family’s dairy farm, assisting in the management of a 120-Holstein cow herd and an additional 120 heifers. They also farm 480 acres of land, cultivating corn, grass hay, soybeans and wheat — all of which goes directly into feeding and caring for the herd. Frankenberg started helping on the farm at the age of five. She’s learned much about emerging technology related to the farm, including robotic management, no-till and more. She is supported by her parents, Kathryn and Steven, and her FFA advisor, Maria Homan.Jacob Wuebker of the Versailles FFA Chapter won in the area of Agricultural Production — Entrepreneurship/Placement. Wuebker is the fourth generation to work on his family farm. The operation produces 1,000 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa hay in addition to raising 2,000 sows from farrow to wean and 200 dairy steers on a feedlot. His tasks vary, ranging from feeding and breeding sows to servicing equipment and spreading and applying manure. Wuebker is supported by his parents, Dena and Jeff, and his FFA advisors, Dena Wuebker and Taylor Bergman.Justin Scott of the Indian Valley FFA Chapter won in the area of Diversified Crop Production — Placement. Scott works on his cousin’s 1,200-acre farm. The operation is a 50-50 rotation between yellow dent corn and soybeans. His cousin has slowly empowered him to take on more responsibilities, beginning with cleaning equipment and operating tillage implements and working to maintaining and repairing equipment, transporting grain and making management decisions. Scott is supported by his parents, Sommer and Tim, and his FFA advisor, David Stiles.Austin Dotterer of the Smithville FFA Chapter won in the area ofFruit Production — Entrepreneurship/Placement. Dotterer began his supervised agricultural experience (SAE) because he wanted to help his aunt and uncle who own a blackberry farm of about 2,400 plants. When he began, his only responsibilities were picking, cutting out old growth and lateral training. He has since learned most aspects of raising the fruit, including wedding, equipment care and primocane training. Dotterer is supported by his parents, Amy and Steve, and his FFA advisor, Stephen Heppe.Another big Ohio winner at National FFA Convention was the Covington-UVCC FFA Chapter that was named the Model of Excellence winner. Covington-UVCC FFA members identified a need to lower stress in their student body, promote production agriculture and improve the future lives of students. Their “De-Stressalizer” program offered four events — including tai chi and a movie night —throughout the school year that allowed students to unwind. The chapter’s Harvest Day included activities about harvesting and plant germination as well as kiddie tractor races. The chapter also highlighted former members during National FFA Week to showcase post-high school opportunities.“It is a big deal for us even to be up for this award,” said Brenna Miller, Covington UVCC FFA member. “We were so excited to win.”Ohio had an impressive three Star finalists — American Star in Agribusiness finalist Luke Scott (Wynford), American Star in Agriscience finalist Olivia Pflaumer (Zane Trace), and American Star Farmer finalist Todd Peterson (Miami Trace) — in the four national categories, though none were selected as the national winner. In addition, the team of Elly Schipfer, Taylor Ayars, and Colin Hartley, of Mechanicsburg FFA, finished third overall in the Meats Evaluation and Technology Career Development Event and the team of Colby Hoover, Spencer Flick, Kaitlin Miller, and Madeline Flick, of Margaretta FFA finished fifth overall in the Poultry Evaluation Career Development Event. Matt Reese talked to Auston Dotterer after he won his proficiency award. Kolt Buchenroth talks to Olivia Pflaumer, Zane Trace. Kolt Buchenroth interviewed Luke Scott from Wynford. Brayden Sponcil, Felicity-Franklin, rocks the drums. The Felicity-Franklin FFA Chapter rocked the talent show. Kolesen McCoy was the candidate for National Officers from Ohio. Jackson Reppart Ridgemont sang in the National FFA Chorus. Fruit Production – Austin Dotterer, Smithville Dairy Production-Entrepreneurship – Rachel Sherman, Big Walnut-DACC Diversified Crop Production-Placement – Justin Scott, Indian Valley Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance-Placement – Andy Holscher, Upper Valley CC Dairy Production-Placement – Joanna Frankenberg, New Bremen Jacob Zajkowski, Anthony Wayne, won Plant Systems Division 3. Diversified Agricultural Production – Jacob Wuebker, Versailles Matt Reese talked to some of the State FFA officers. The Covington Chapter won the Model of Excellence award. The Covington Chapter won the Model of Excellence award.read more

Readers who post a question in GreenBuildingAdvisor’s Q&A forum typically look for advice on very specific building problems. Whether the challenge is detailing a rainscreen, selecting windows with the right solar heat-gain coefficient, or using thermal mass to store solar energy, the focus is usually narrow and technical.And that appeared to be the intent of John and Rebecca’s recent post asking for comments on a set of house plans. “In terms of thermal bridging, heating, etc., is there anything you would do to improve them?” John asks. “Because my wife and I are thinking of building, and we like the ideas presented in these plans.” RELATED ARTICLES Let’s make a few changesIt is Keith Gustafson who is first to come up with some concrete ideas “for these poor souls.” With some rearranging, the house could handle three bedrooms and still leave a wide open 18 ft. by 24 ft. living space.Morgan is next, and it’s with more than verbiage. He proposes a house with exactly the same footprint, but designed so the mudroom is part of the house proper, with more room for furniture as well as a full-sized dining table (see the second image below). The conditioned area of the house has been increased by 96 sq. ft., but the energy penalty should be minimal, and the design changes should lower construction costs.“Which house would you rather live in?” he asks. Our expert’s opinionGBA advisor Ann Edminster had this to say:The design critics are right on the mark. It isn’t that livability trumps energy performance; rather, it’s that livability is a necessary precondition for any good home.What is loved, endures. Thermal comfort alone might be enough to inspire house-love, if the occupants have been accustomed to a notable lack thereof. However, after the novelty fades, what’s left must be lovable from the perspective of daily living.Notwithstanding the facts that (a) design is highly personal and (b) some people are more affected by their surroundings than others, the original design is (ahem) notably unlovable. That said, we don’t know what attracted John & Rebecca to this plan. It could be what they look out at from the kitchen window, or perhaps the separation of the master from the other two bedrooms.Morgan’s solution may not be the right one. However, I can say with complete confidence that a competent architect or interior designer charged with creating a thermally and functionally comfortable 3-bedroom home within a ~1200-sq. ft. footprint, and addressing the couple’s other design drivers, could do better than this, by far.That’s the real rant, folks: designers are skilled professionals, not just people who draw pretty pictures. We actually understand how buildings work. (Well, OK, maybe not all design professionals, but those of us you’re likely to encounter on this site … let’s hope!)I once had a client who was big on DIY – who home-schooled four extremely intelligent children through junior high, grew her own food, had an in-house science lab, baked, repaired appliances, you name it. When a tree fell through her house, signaling the opportunity to remodel, she struggled with developing a design for months before finally calling me, and told me she felt so stupid that she couldn’t come up with one herself. I very gently asked, “Would you do brain surgery on yourself, Elizabeth?” Her response, of course, was “No.”And so I explained that her problem had more in common with brain surgery than she might suppose. There are a lot of factors to be considered and successfully integrated to meet her family’s multiple objectives. It takes both training and skill to design well. This plan bespeaks a lack of one or (probably) both.One last comment: size doesn’t even come into this. This house is modest, not really small. I live in a community that’s dominated by subdivisions of 3-bedroom homes between 1,100 and 1,200 sq. ft., built post-WW2. Capacious? No. Would the owners like to enlarge? Undoubtedly, and many of them do. But there are plenty of those homes that remain fundamentally unaltered after more than 60 years, because they’re perfectly adequate. Really. But the conversation quickly takes a different turn, veering into unfamiliar territory and becoming a discussion of much more esoteric concerns. What makes a house comfortable? When should livability trump energy efficiency? How small is too small?None of those questions has a yes-or-no answer, but their complexity goes to the heart of a fundamental dilemma about green building: Will we actually like living in the house we’ve worked so hard to create? Isn’t that a little harsh?Don’t be too quick to judge, suggests GBA senior editor Martin Holladay.There actually is a place for a sofa and chairs as well as a small dining table, he says, even if they’re not shown on the plans, and maybe the kitchen is large because John and Rebecca like to cook. As to the locating the utilities in the mudroom instead of the passage to the only bathroom, Holladay says, “the mudroom is subject to occasional freezing, so the water heater is right where it should be.“Many Europeans live in spaces much smaller than this, and it behooves Americans to be a little less quick to condemn a compact plan like this.”Exactly, says David Meiland: “Our house is circa 1923 and 1,120 square feet, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Over the years I have run into a fair number of people in the community who have lived in the house. One of them remarked to me, ‘I raised my three sons in that house.’ Go to any working-class neighborhood built in the ‘50s or earlier, and you see a lot of 1,000-sq.-ft. family homes.“I agree the layout is not ideal, but that was not part of the [original post].”No, Morgan admits, a broadside on the floor plans wasn’t part of the original question, but so what? “Fitness for purpose is central to durability and performance and deserves to be considered as critical to building green as any part of the mechanical system or the enclosure strategy — perhaps more so, as it’s so much harder to upgrade after the fact,” he says. “Why would you accept incompetent space planning (yes, it IS that bad) when the carpenter, the engineer, the plumber and all the other participants in the process are expected to be at the top of their game? Harsh if you like, but you guys would never accept a bad flashing detail. Why is this any different?” Green Design and PlanningGreen Homes Practical, maybe, but not livableDavid McNeely bores right into the basic layout of this 1,250-sq.-ft., three-bedroom house. “In terms of living,” he says, “the placement of the one bathroom requires every bedroom occupant to traverse the most public spaces, then walk past exposed utilities! The reward is a tiny bathroom. Reminds me of houses that were first converted to indoor plumbing, where the only comparison was an outhouse in the back.“One of the greenest things a builder can do is create a building that will live a long time,” he adds. “Designing a livable space is fundamental. Creating a space that makes people feel good to live in has a payback that is different from energy calcs, but is possibly more important to a long-term energy efficient future. The two must not be mutually exclusive!”James Morgan isn’t far behind. “The un-greenest aspect of this house is not the slab but the awful, awful layout,” he says, “a prime example of a ‘technical’ house designed around a set of abstract engineering ideas at the expense of any concept of living quality.“This,” he adds, “is a home to get tired of really, really quickly, resulting in a lot of good materials simply wasted.”Forget thermal bridging and heating. Morgan wants to know why the utilities are located in a main traffic area of the house? Why is there such a huge kitchen but no place for a dining table? Where’s the expansion potential when John and Rebecca get sick of living in a too-small space?read more

Around 90 foreign envoys based in India will visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar on October 22, said the Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday.The decision is part of the celebrations to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.“Following the decision by the Union Cabinet to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Devji throughout the country and across the globe, in a grand and befitting manner, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations has invited Heads of Foreign Missions in New Delhi to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. Over 90 resident Heads of Missions in New Delhi are expected to travel to Amritsar,” a statement from the Ministry said on Saturday.ICCR organising visitThe visit will be organised by ICCR in collaboration with the Punjab government and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.The Ministry declared that the envoys will be accompanied by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Civil Aviation, Housing and Urban Affairs and Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, and Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, president, ICCR.The event comes days ahead of the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor that will connect Indian pilgrims with the gurdwara in Kartarpur in Pakistan where Guru Nanak spent the last years of his life.read more

LATEST STORIES Palace: Duterte to hear out security execs on alleged China control of NGCP Every 18 seconds someone is diagnosed with HIV Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games Elsewhere on Day 6 at Roland Garros, 10th-seeded David Goffin stopped playing after turning his ankle when he tripped on a tarp at the back of the court in the first set against Horacio Zeballos; No. 5 Milos Raonic advanced when his opponent, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, quit because of a left thigh injury; No. 20 Pablo Carreno Busta eliminated No. 11 Grigor Dimitrov 7-5, 6-3, 6-4; and No. 6 Dominic Thiem was a 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-3 winner against No. 25 Steve Johnson, an American who generated sympathy from fans and foes as he displayed raw emotion while competing just weeks after the death of his father.In women’s play, defending champion Garbine Muguruza beat No. 27 Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 6-2, and a couple of unseeded Americans lost to seeded opponents: No. 13 Kristina Mladenovic edged Shelby Rogers 7-5, 4-6, 8-6, while No. 23 Sam Stosur eliminated qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-2, 6-2.Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next BSP survey: PH banks see bright horizon amid dark global recession clouds Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Schwartzman played well during that stretch, to be sure, but the No. 2-seeded Djokovic’s biggest problem was himself.He wound up with 55 unforced errors to 43 winners, and all sorts of issues on his backhand wing, which produced 33 of those miscues, all under the watchful eye of new coach Andre Agassi.Djokovic, who completed a career Grand Slam a year ago in Paris, eventually managed to figure out how to steady his game, if not his demeanor.As Schwartzman became less proficient and complained about issues in his right hip area — a trainer came out and gave him a massage during a changeover late in the final set — Djokovic became more assertive and more accurate.Still, there were distractions.ADVERTISEMENT Pagasa: Storm intensifies as it nears PAR BREAKING: Cop killed, 11 hurt in Misamis Oriental grenade blast The stark numbers on the scoreboards at Court Philippe Chatrier revealed plenty about how differently things went in the back-to-back contests Friday for defending champion Djokovic and nine-time champion Nadal. First up in the main stadium at Roland Garros was Nadal, who won 82 points and conceded merely 36 in a 6-0, 6-1, 6-0 victory over 63rd-ranked Nikoloz Basilashvili.“The score is quite embarrassing, you know,” Basilashvili acknowledged, “but I have to accept it.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutDjokovic followed in the main stadium and found himself in quite a bit of trouble right away against 41st-ranked Diego Schwartzman before emerging to win 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.While it took Basilashvili 12 games and 49 minutes just to claim a single game — which spectators greeted with a roar as he stood motionless and straight-faced — Schwartzman not only took the second game of his match against Djokovic, he grabbed the opening set, too. And then the third, to go up by two sets to one. Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ Novak Djokovic APPARIS — From a tiff with the chair umpire to the big deficit he created and then needed to overcome in a steady rain, Novak Djokovic had an all-around difficult day at the French Open.Rafael Nadal’s journey to the fourth round, in contrast, could hardly have been easier. Indeed, his 100th best-of-five-set match on clay was also the most lopsided.ADVERTISEMENT BREAKING: Cop killed, 11 hurt in Misamis Oriental grenade blast Cayetano dares Lacson, Drilon to take lie-detector test: Wala akong kinita sa SEA Games Gavina sees potential as Rene Pacquiao gets quality numbers in debut In the fourth set, with Djokovic leading 4-0 and serving at 30-all, he was given a fault by chair umpire Carlos Ramos for multiple time violations. After the ensuing point, Djokovic stared in Ramos’ direction.Moments later, just about to face a break point, Djokovic yelled at himself, mostly in Serbian. Then, facing Ramos, Djokovic briefly lifted his racket overhead, before using it to flip a ball backward toward a ball boy.That’s when Ramos interrupted, announcing a code violation warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. Djokovic walked over and barked: “What’s wrong with you? What did I say? What did I say? What did I say? Why did you give me warning? What, do you understand Serbian?”Ramos had trouble getting a word in edgewise, but he responded: “Because of what you did. The gesture you made with the racket. This is not acceptable.”Djokovic: “Did I hit the ball in your direction?”Ramos: “No, you did not.”Djokovic: “Did I hit it? Why did you give me a warning?”Ramos: “Because of your attitude.”Djokovic: “What attitude, man?”When play resumed, Djokovic missed a forehand to drop that game. He would win 8 of 9 games the rest of the way. MOST READ View commentsread more

Power abhors permanency, even though it instills in those who wield it a sense of infallibility. The pyramid of power, built on money and mind, is constantly under attack, and invaders are multiplying at the gate. In India, one of the most friendly places for wealth creators today, the preservation of the order is all the more difficult because competition is intense and ambition infectious.The INDIA TODAY list of Power Elite 2011 shows this change in the highest echelon: icons have not been blasted but cracked. It underlines the simple truth that keeping power is much more challenging than acquiring it. In a country where the leitmotif of the political narrative is corruption, the powerful few are under constant surveillance-and too much sunlight of public scrutiny has fallen on the mystique of those who reigned supreme for so long. That is why the top 10 on the list tells the story of not only the elasticity of power but its mercilessness as well. And in India, as in any other open society with an open market, the power of the individual is getting more pronounced than the power of the state. When the two meet, the result can be disastrous; it can turn out to be a conspiracy against the powerless.In 2011, it has brought out the rot in the Establishment. When money turned darker, the mind shone elsewhere beyond the boardrooms, best explained by the continued dominance of soft power, particularly entertainment and sports. It is a reflection of 21st century India, where the possibilities of power are matched by its perversions. The list is ruled by those who strike a fine balance between the craft of making money and the art of influencing the life of others-for better or worse. The pyramid of power is a work in progress. Favouring the smartest, it keeps soaring.advertisementThis is an excerpt from India Today issue dated April 11, 2011. To read more subscribe to print copy.read more

AUBURN, AL – SEPTEMBER 17: Auburn Tigers play the Texas A&M Aggies during an NCAA college football game on September 17, 2016 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)D’haquille Williams, one of the SEC’s top receivers, has left Auburn’s game against Jacksonville State after taking a nasty shot from the Gamecocks defense. Quarterback Jeremy Johnson tried to hit Williams over the middle, but he was unable to hang on, and got drilled by linebacker Dawson Wells. Williams went down after the play, but was able to slowly walk off the field.Not sure how Gus Malzahn would convince anyone this was targeting on Duke Williams. pic.twitter.com/MBVuroWsy8— Dr. Saturday (@YahooDrSaturday) September 12, 2015Gus Malzahn is furious no targeting call and points to new huge Auburn scoreboard with replay. pic.twitter.com/bdI4KTDzpb— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonCBS) September 12, 2015It doesn’t look like targeting, but we can understand Malzahn being in up only three against an FCS team and losing arguably his best playmaker down the stretch. We’ll keep you updated on Williams’ status.read more

CHICAGO — The Cleveland Indians won a 1-0 nail-biter on Friday night in Game 3 of the World Series. Two number-three starters succeeded in shutting down two strong offenses, allowing the game to come down to the final at-bat. But while the relievers were overpowering as usual, the most significant influence on this game wasn’t the wind, a single Indians hitter or managerial cleverness, but a seemingly inconsistent strike zone.Home plate umpire John Hirschbeck has a reputation for calling balls and strikes erratically, and that was on full display last night, creating shifting strike-zone boundaries that bedeviled both offenses.1A rough look at the strike zone plots for each team showed about 10 calls helping the Cubs, and seven helping the Indians. Data from PitchF/X needed for a quantitative comparison was not available at time of publication. For the Indians, Josh Tomlin turned in an unexpectedly solid line, allowing only two hits. At times, Tomlin was burned by bad calls, leading, for example, to a fourth-inning walk by Kris Bryant. But when the strike zone is called inconsistently, hitters tend to strike out more often and make weaker contact. That’s because pitchers can choose to target inconsistently called areas of the zone when it benefits them, while hitters can only decide whether to swing or not at what’s offered. When they’re uncertain, batters often opt to swing at pitches outside the zone, resulting in glancing contact and easy outs.Chicago Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks, who usually gets favorable strike calls due to his impeccable command, struggled mightily in allowing six hits and two walks in only 4.2 innings. The shifting zone did aid him in racking up six strikeouts, above what you’d expect based on his regular-season stats.Even as the inconsistent strike zone helped the pitchers, neither was overpowering. And with bullpens fresh after the day off, both starters were pulled before the 6th inning with the score 0-0, an event that has never happened before in MLB postseason history. That handed the game to the relievers, including an early appearance from Andrew Miller. They were as commanding as expected, except for one lapse by the Cubs’ Carl Edwards Jr., who allowed Coco Crisp to single in the lone run of the night.The Cubs came close to evening the score in the bottom of the ninth. With two runners in scoring position and two outs, Chicago dynamo Javy Báez was up to bat against Cleveland closer Cody Allen. He struck out whiffing to end the threat, leaving the Indians up 2-1 in the Series.The outlook for the Cubs is worrisome going forward: Their series win probability by Elo is down to only 37 percent.2For reference, that’s the same probability Elo gave the Indians before the World Series began. In his last start, Corey Kluber looked invincible, and the Cubs will have to face him in Games 4 and 7 of this Series (if it goes that far). That means they will need to pull off at least one upset against the 2014 AL Cy Young winner to clinch the series. While such a feat appears difficult, the Cubs managed an even more surprising performance against Clayton Kershaw in the NLCS, so it’s certainly possible. Nobody said ending a 108-year title drought would be easy.CORRECTION (Oct. 29, 12:05 p.m.): An earlier version of this article incorrectly described Corey Kluber. He was the 2014 AL Cy Young winner; he is not the reigning winner.read more

With No. 7 Indiana coming to town, the Ohio State men’s soccer team looked to take down another Big Ten foe at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.Coming off a dominant 3-0 win over Oakland on Tuesday, the Buckeyes looked to ride momentum in hopes of improving their conference record of 2-3.OSU redshirt freshman goalkeeper Parker Siegfried (1) prepares to return the ball to midfield during the Buckeye’s game against Valparaiso on Sept. 21 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The Buckeyes won 4-1. Credit: Janaya Greene | Lantern PhotographerOhio State and Indiana played to a 2-2 draw on Saturday afternoon, with neither team able to find a game-winner through two overtime periods.“It could have gone either way,” OSU coach John Bluem said. “Earlier in the year we lost three games in sudden-death overtime. I think our guys were determined not to let that happen again.”The Buckeyes opened up the scoring early in the first period.In the 5th minute of play, junior forward Nate Kohl secured the ball in the box after a failed clearing attempt by the Indiana goalkeeper. Kohl deflected the ball off his chest then slid down to redirect it into the back of the net, giving the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead.For Kohl, it was his team-high fifth goal of the season.Indiana netted an equalizer in the 18th minute with a header by sophomore midfielder Jeremiah Gutjahr.However, it did not take long for the Buckeyes to answer back.In the 20th minute, Kohl worked a ball down the sideline. He slotted a pass through the middle in between a couple Hoosier defenders, finding senior midfielder Ben Fitzpatrick, who used a good first touch to get around his defender. He then fired it into the back of the net from 12 yards out, putting OSU back on top 2-1.“Me and Ben have worked on and off the ball together pretty well,” Kohl said. “I know how he plays and he knows how I play so it just keeps getting better. Its sad it took until the end of the season to start working, but I guess it’s as good a time as any.”Just as it seemed like the Buckeyes had the game in the bag, Indiana upped the tempo and started applying pressure deep in the offensive zone.With just seven minutes remaining in regulation, senior defender Billy McConnell deflected an Indiana shot inside the box that rolled just out of reach of OSU redshirt freshman goalkeeper Parker Siegfried to tie the game up at two.Neither of the two teams had many scoring opportunities in the two overtime periods, as the game ended in a tie.“When you let up an equalizing goal that late, your team could fold,” Bluem said. “For those last 27 minutes, our guys strapped them back up and fought hard to not allow that winning goal.”The Hoosiers outshot OSU 14-5, including an 8-1 advantage in the second period. Siegfried made five saves.The two teams seemed to have some bad blood, as things got chippy as time went on. Indiana accumulated a staggering 28 for calls, including four yellow cards for Indiana. OSU amassed 12 total fouls.“They were getting a little upset that they are the No. 7 team in the country and we were putting the pressure on them and taking the wind out of them,” Kohl said. “Things got a little chippy, but nothing we couldn’t handle.”Bluem said he was very proud of how his team played despite missing a few of their key guys to injuries.“We have a lot of talent sitting on our bench that can’t play,” Bluem said. “Yaw (Amankwa) couldn’t play today. Danny (Jensen) is out. (Marcus) McCrary is out. The guys that are being called upon in their place are really doing a great job.”Next up for the now 4-9-1 Buckeyes is a road contest against No. 4 Louisville on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.read more

Sophomore guard Walter Offutt is leaving the Ohio State men’s basketball team to transfer to another university, coach Thad Matta announced Tuesday.Offutt will finish fall quarter at OSU before determining where he will relocate.The Indianapolis native has appeared in 23 career games for the Buckeyes, averaging 1.3 points per game.